(5R,6S)-6-[(1R)-1-hydroxyethyl]-7-oxo-3-[(2R)-tetrahydrofuran-2-yl]-4-thia- 1-aza bicyclo[3.2.0]hept-2-ene-2-carboxylic acid, commonly known as faropenem of Formula I is a synthetic, broad-spectrum, carbapenem antibiotic.

The sodium salt of faropenem shows potent antibacterial activity against methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), Streptococcus pyrogenes and Streptococcus pneumoniae and gram-positive bacteria such as penicillin-resistant pneumococci (PRSP), oral staphylococci and enterococci. It also shows a wide antibacterial spectrum covering gram-negative bacteria such as Haemophilus influenzae and anaerobic bacteria such as the genus Bacteroides. 
U.S. Pat. No 4,997,829 provides a process for the preparation of sodium and potassium salts of faropenem, involving the deprotection of allyl faropenem in the presence of triphenylphosphine, palladium tetrakis-triphenylphosphine and sodium or potassium 2-ethylhexanoate. However, the process disclosed in the '829 patent does not result in stable and commercially useful hydrates of faropenem salts.
EP Patent No. 410,727 provides various processes for preparing the hemipentahydrate of faropenem salts, involving the deprotection of allyl faropenem in the presence of an alkali metal enolate of 1,3-diketone. The faropenem formed in situ is converted into hemipentahydrate by the addition water. JP Patent No 2,949,363 B2 also provides a process for preparing hydrates of faropenem salts by treating deprotected faropenem with an alkali metal salt of a C1-4 carboxylic acid in the presence of water.
The water added to the reaction mixture to effect the formation of hydrates in the prior art processes is removed by distillation. However, the removal of water from the reaction mixture under reduced pressure consumes both time and energy. Additionally the solution stability of faropenem sodium in water is very poor and prolonged storage or heating results in impurity formation.